End-loaded carrying container



Nov. 22, 1966 J. 1.. OFFENBURGER 3,286,910

7 END-LOADED CARRYING CONTAINER Filed Oct. 50, 1964 7 40b INVENTOR. 5 Joseph L. Offenburger BY Ronald E. Bclrry Attorney United States Patent 7.. 3,286,910 a. END-LOADED CARRYINGCONTAINER Joseph L. olfenburge'r, Wankegan, 11]., assignor to Hoerner Boxes Inc., Keokuk, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. '30, 1964, SenNo. 407,661 Claims (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates in general to cartons and containers of the type used for packaging, storing and carrying products and particularly, a relatively large number of canned products, such as beer cans.

The increasing use of automatic loading machines for packaging such cans has necessitated a redesigning of the cartons so that they can be loaded in what is known as an end-loading type loader. The carton is loaded from one end and the cans or containers are automatically dispensed into the carton. The openend is then closed and sealed to hold the cans within the carton. Handles have been mounted in the top wall of the carton so that it can be easily carried, but reinforcement means have been provided in the top wall in order to provide suflicient strength in the top wall to support the weight of the filled carton.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an end-loading type container which requires no independent reinforcement section for the handle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an end-loaded type container which can be opened from either side.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carton for carrying a number of identical items which has symmetrical side walls so that it can be opened from either side.

Still another object of the present invention is to pros,

vide a carton which can be reclosed for storing the containers if they are not all used.

These objects are accomplished by cutting and scoring a single carton blank to form side walls, hingedly connected to a bottom wall and having top walls hingedly connected to their opposite edges. Each of the side walls, the bottom wall and one of the top walls has an overlapping flap which is used-for closing the carton when the blank is folded. Each of the end flaps for the side walls is provided with a perforated tear line which extends diagonally across one corner'of each'of the end flaps. A tear strip section is provided in the bottom wall to aid in opening the carton; When the 'carton is resting on either of its side walls and the tear strip is removed on raising the now upper side wall, the end flap on the upper sidewall will tear along'the perforate line so that the upper side wall becomes a cover hingedly connected to the bottom wall. The bottom side wall thus forms a tray for the cans which are left in the carton. It should be apparent that if the carton is turned over onto the other side wall, a similar relationship will then be achieved.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton shown with one side wall in the open position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton in the folded position with one end open for automatic loading.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of theinner face of the blank for an end-loaded carton. 7

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the handle used in this container.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the carton shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed from a blank having parallel score lines 10, 12, 14 and 16 which divide the blank into top wall 18, side wall 20, bottom wall 22, side wall 24 and underlap wall 26. Score lines 28 and 30 3,286,910 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 ice are provided along each edge of the blank to define top wall flaps 18a and 18b, side wall flaps 20a and 20b, bottom wall flaps 22a and 22b, side wall flaps 24a and 24b and underlap wall flaps 26a and 26b. Slots 32, 34, 36 and 38 are cut into each edge of the blank to separate the end flaps one from the other. 1 7

End flaps 20a and 20b are provided with perforate score lines 40a and 40b which extend diagonally across the corner of the flap so that the corner can be removed. End flaps 24a and 2411 are provided with score li'nes 42a and 42b which also extend diagonally across the corner of the end flap so that the corner can be removed. In the folded position, the corners which are cut by the perforate lines will be secured to the end flaps on the top wall of the carton. If one of the side walls is raised, the corresponding end wall flaps will also be raised; with the corner secured to the top wall flap, the end flap will tear along the perforate line.

Tear strip 44 is secured to the inside surface of the bottom wall and extends from the outer edge of flap 22b to the outer edge of flap 22b. To aid in removing the tear strip, a pair of slit sections 46 are cut in the center of the bottom wall so that as they are pulled out, the tear strip will be pulled through the bottom wall and corresponding end flaps.

It should be noted that the tear strip is located in the center of the bottom wall so' that it will lie in the space between the outer edges of the end flaps on the side walls when the carton is in the folded position.

Slots '48 are provided in the top wall 18 and slots 50 are provided in underlap wall 26 and are so located that when the underlap wall 26 is secured to the inside surface of top wall 18, the slots will be aligned with each other. Slots 48 are made long and narrow and lie on the longitudinal axis of the top wall so that the'h'a'ndle is centrally located. Plastic handle 52 can be mounted on the top wall by twisting and inserting ends 54 ofthe handle through the slots. Ends 54 will retur'nto their normal positions after being inserted through the slots so that the ends are crosswise to the slots.

In erecting'the carton, the side walls are folded'upward along score lines 12 and 14 and unden pwau 26 is 'folded inwardly along score line 16; topwall18'is folded along score line 10 in overlying relation rowan 26. Adhesive is applied either to the outer surface of wall 26 or the inner surface of wall 18 so that the walls will adhereto each other. End flaps 22a and 22b are folded upward and end flaps 18a and 1812 are folded downward carrying flaps 26a and 26b with them. Adhesive isapplied'to the outer surface of flaps 22a and 22b and to the corners of flaps 18a and 18b. When flaps 20a',-2'0b, 24mm 245" are folded inward against the end flaps, they will adhere to the full area of flaps 22a and 22b and to the diagonal corners of flaps 18a and 18b. The ends of the handle are twisted and inserted through the slots and released so that they return to the transverse relation within the carton and are locked therein. When the carton is to be opened, it is laid on one of its sides and the tear strip is removed by pulling tabs 46 out of the bottom of the carton. If side wall 24 is on top of the carton and is lifted up, it will pivot about score line 16. The perforate lines 42a and 42b will tear, leaving the corner of the side wall end flaps secured to the top wall end flaps 22a and 22b. If side wall 20 is on top of the carton when the tear strip is removed, end flaps 20a and 20b will tear along perforate lines 40a and 40b. In either instance, the carton will be the same regardless of which side of the carton is on top without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An end-loaded type carton made from a single corrugated paperboard blank cut and scored to define a top panel, 7

a first sidewall,

a bottom wall,

a second side wall, and

an underlap panel, hingedly connected together in a series relation,

each of said walls and panels having end flaps hingedly connected to their outer edges,

said blank being adapted to be folded into a rectangular carton with the top panel adhesively secured to the underlap panel,

said top and underlap panels each including a pair of longitudinal slots, axially aligned with the center line of said top wall and the slots in the top panel being aligned with the slots in the underlap panel,

carrying means mounted in said slots,

said end flaps on each of said side walls having a perforate score line running diagonally across the end of each flap which engages the top wall flaps,

said side wall flaps being adhesively secured to the top panel and bottom wall end flaps,

a tear strip in said bottom wall and bottom wall end flaps, whereby on removal of said tear strip, the upper side wall can be raised to open the container 1 with the corner on the end flaps of the raised side wall being severed from the end flap along the I perforate score line.

2. A rectangular container having a double walled top wall,

a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, all formed from a singleblank of corrugated paperboard,

a handle in said top wall,

a tear strip in said bottom wall,

end flaps on each end of each of said walls folded into engagement and adhesively secured together said tear strip extending across said bottom wall end flaps,

the end flaps on each of said side walls having diagonal perforate lines across the corner engaging the top wall end flap,

whereby on removal of said tear strip, either of said side walls can be raised, severing the corners of the end flaps on the raised side wall from the end flap along the perforate line.

I 3.Acarton for carrying a number of identical containers having rectangular side Walls eachhaving one edge hingedly connected to a rectangular bottom wall,

a pair of rectangular top walls, each having one edge connected to the opposite edge of said side walls, said top walls being overlapped and adhesively secured together to form a rectangular open ended carton, closure flaps hingedly connected to the transverse edges of all of said walls,

said flaps being adapted to be folded into engagement and adhesively secured together to close the container,

a tear strip mounted on the longitudinal axis of the inner surface of said bottom wall and extending to the outer edges of said bottom wall flaps, and

perforate score. lines located across the corners of said sidewall flaps which engage the top wall flaps,

whereby on laying said container on one of its side walls and removing the tear strip, the other ofsaid 5. A carton of the end loaded type comprising a single blank of corrugated paper board cut and scored to define a longitudinally extending bottom wall, a tear strip sew cured to the inner surface of said bottom wall and being located ,on the longitudinal axis of said bottom'wall, a pair of side walls hingedly connected to the longitudinal edges of said bottom wall, end flaps hingedly connected to the other edges of said walls; said end flaps on the: side walls include perforate lines across the corner sew cured to the top wall end flaps, said top walls-being adhesively secured together to form an open-ended rectangular container, each of said top .walls having a pair of short longitudinally extending slots, the slots on the outer top wall being located on the center axis of the top 1 wall and theslots on the other top wall being aligned therewith, and a narrow flexible plastic strip having a longitudinal axis and a pair of transverse sections'of a length slightly shorter than the length of said slots, said strip being flexible whereby said sections can be twisted I and insertedthrough said slots with said strip bridging the space between the slots and on closing said end flaps to hold the containers therein the handles can be used to carry the carton, said tear strip being removable to split the bottom wall so thatthe carton can be opened and saidside walls can be raised after the tear strip has been removed and the corner of the end flaps secured to the top wall flap separated from the end flapby the separation of the perforate line.

References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS r 2,305,349 12/1942 Goodwin 229-51 2,771,385 11/1956 Humphner.

3,097,784 7/1963 Schaus 229-51 3,111,255 1l/ 19 63 Skowronski 229-51 3,134,531 5/1964 Hardy 229-51 X 3,164,316 1/1965 Wurster et al. 229-51 3,181,772 5/1965 Collins et a1. 229-51 X GEORGE 0., RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN END-LOADED TYPE CARTON MADE FROM A SINGLE CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD BLANK CUT AND SCORED TO DEFINE A TOP PANEL, A FIRST SIDE WALL, A BOTTOM WALL, A SECOND SIDE WALL, AND AN OVERLAP PANEL, HINGEDLY CONNECTED TOGETHER IN A SERIES RELATION, EACH OF SAID WALLS AND PANELS HAVING END FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THEIR EDGES, SAID BLANK BEING ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED INTO A RECTANGULAR CARTON WITH THE TOP PANEL ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE OVERLAP PANEL, SAID TOP AND UNDERLAP PANELS EACH INCLUDING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINAL SLOTS, AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE CENTER LINE OF SAID TOP WALL AND THE SLOTS IN THE TOP PANEL BEING ALIGNED WITH THE SLOTS IN THE UNDERLAP PANEL, CARRYING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID SLOTS, SAID END FLAPS ON EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A PERFORATE SCORE LINE RUNNING DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE END OF EACH FLAP WHICH ENGAGES THE TOP WALL FLAPS, 